Your vehicle must be registered to the Hawaii county where you reside. The process differs by your county. You will need to get a safety inspection, submit your vehicle title and a registration application, and pay the appropriate fee; examples below are for Hawaii County.

If you move to Hawaii, move within the state from one county to another, or buy a vehicle in Hawaii, you must register it with the Hawaii
Department of Transportation. Hawaii is unique in that the state is comprised of islands and broken up by counties. Vehicles must be registered in the county in which you live.

If you already have a vehicle registered with the state, visit our
Registration Renewal page for all of the information you may need to keep your Hawaii registration current.

NOTE: For registration of special vehicle types, such as custom-built cars, ATVs, and recreational vehicles (RVs), visit our Other Vehicle Registrations page.

New to Hawaii?

If you are moving to Hawaii, or are staying for an extended period of time, you will need to either register your vehicle with your county or apply for an out-of-state permit.

HI Car Registration for New Residents

If you are moving to Hawaii, you must register your vehicle within 30 days. In order to do so, you must first obtain a safety inspection certificate from any authorized safety check station (see “Hawaii Vehicle Inspections” below).

Hawaii Out-of-State Permit

If you’ve brought your vehicle to Hawaii but you won’t be staying long enough to register it, you may apply for an out-of-state permit. You’ll first need to obtain a vehicle safety inspection at your nearest approved safety check station.

Submit the shipping receipt or bill of lading documenting the date of arrival.

Pay the $5 permit fee.

Once you get the out-of-state permit, your out-of-state license plates will be valid for 12 months or until they expire, whichever happens first.

Registering a Vehicle in Hawaii

While each county in Hawaii has its own registration process, the differences will generally be minimal. Below, you'll find an example of the registration process for Hawaii County. Please contact your specific county DMV office for details on your requirements.

If you’ve purchased a vehicle or moved to a different county, you must register your vehicle with the motor vehicle registration office of the county in which you reside.

The process differs slightly based on whether you’ve:

Purchased a new/used vehicle from a HI dealership.

Purchased a vehicle from a private individual.

Moved from one Hawaii county to another.

Vehicles Purchased from a Dealership

When you purchase a vehicle at a Hawaii dealership, the car dealer will take care of all the paperwork to get your vehicle titled and licensed. They will also collect your vehicle registration fees.

A $50 late fee will be charged if the transfer of ownership and registration are not completed within 30 days. Delinquent taxes will also be charged for any years in which the vehicle was not registered. Discuss this with the seller of the vehicle to determine who is responsible for payment of these delinquent taxes, if applicable.

Changing Counties in Hawaii

Hawaii vehicles must be registered in the county where they are driven, rather than one general, statewide registration. If you move from one county to another in Hawaii, you must register your car or truck in your new county of residence.

Out-of-State Military Stationed in Hawaii

If you purchase a vehicle in Hawaii, or choose to register your out-of-state vehicle in Hawaii, you do not have to pay registration fees.

Reservists, National Guard, and temporary active duty soldiers are not exempt from registration fees, but you MAY claim an exemption from vehicle weight taxes for 1 vehicle registered in your name.

To claim your respective registration fee exemption:

Follow the applicable steps listed above, either in “New to Hawaii?” for registering an out-of-state vehicle, or “Vehicle Registration” for purchasing a new vehicle in the state.AND

Submit the applicable form:

Registration fee exemption: Non-Resident Certificate form (MVR/DF10), available from the HI registration office when you register your car, OR a Non-Resident Certificate form CS-L (MVR) 50, available from your military unit or personnel office.

You will need to complete your applicable form each time you apply for a registration renewal, move counties, or transfer vehicle ownership.

If you change your residency to Hawaii, leave active duty service, or leave your vehicle in the state after being stationed somewhere else, you are no longer exempt from any fees and must re-register your vehicle within 30 days.

Hawaii Residents Stationed in Hawaii

Military residents of Hawaii may register a vehicle using the same methods outlined above for civilian Hawaii residents. You may also qualify for an exemption from vehicle weight fees.

Obtain a Hawaii Resident Certificate form CS-L (MVR) 50A from your military unit or personnel office, and submit it, along with the documents listed above in the “Vehicle Registration” section, to your local motor vehicle registration office.

HI Military Residents Stationed Out of State

If you’re currently stationed outside of Hawaii, and you are resident of the city and county of Honolulu, you may register your vehicle by mail.

You’ll need to:

Contact the Honolulu Department of Customer Service at (808) 532-4325.

The inspection technicians will determine if your vehicle is safe enough to be registered in Hawaii. If you pass the inspection, you will be given an inspection certificate, and the results will be sent to the DMV. Please note that it can take up to 48 hours for the system to reflect updated inspection expirations.

Emissions inspections are not required; however, it is everyone’s responsibility to do their part in keeping the land and air free of emissions and pollution. Visit our section on Hawaii Smog & Emissions Checks for information on how to reduce your vehicle’s emissions.

Hawaii License Plates

You will receive standard Hawaii license plates once you have registered your vehicle. You will also have the option of ordering specialty license plates (such as U.S. veteran plates, college/university plates, etc.), or create personalized/vanity plates. These may cost an extra fee, and may take longer to arrive.